The Geek and the Airhead
by Rogue Ranger
Summary: They say opposites attract. If that's true, you can't get much more opposite than Cam and Dustin. But can a grumpy geek and a giddy airhead really get along? Moreover, can they fall in love?
1. The Grump and the Undeserving

_**Summary: **__They say opposites attract. If that's true, you can't get much more opposite than Cam and Dustin. But can a grumpy geek and a giddy airhead really get along? Moreover, can they fall in love?_

_**Author's Note:**__ Set at the beginning of the Power Rangers Ninja Storm series, when Cam was not at all open. I like character growth through a story (like my other stories, though this one is completely separate from them), so how Cam came out of his grumpy shell is a good challenge for me. Please review and leave useful feedback. I'm always open to new ideas!_

_**Rebel Paisley**__ has offered to Beta this story and so this is a __**new version**__! Let me know what you think!_

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><p><strong>The Geek and the Airhead<strong>

**Chapter 1: The Grump and the Undeserving**

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><p>Cam Watanabe was nothing if not smart.<p>

In fact, he regularly took pride in his cleverness, especially when it came to computers and technology in general. That's not to say he was some clueless sociopath when it came to people. There were just some things he couldn't quite grasp.

That, and he didn't particularly care for most people. They were so… _illogical_ sometimes. Though, again, that did not make him a clueless sociopath.

Take for example Shane, Dustin and Tori. The three wannabe ninjas were never on time and their commitment to ninja training was spotty at best. When Cam had asked his father what he saw in them, the simple response was, "That is why I am the Sensei and you are the Sensei's son."

...It was no wonder Cam preferred computers.

If one ever gave him _that_ kind of an answer, he could simply tear it apart and put it back together again until it could return a logical response. Sadly, he was used to that kind of an answer from his father, so he didn't question it.

He still had yet to receive a satisfactory response as to why he, the Sensei's only son, could not train to be a ninja at the school he _literally_ called home.

And that was why he felt more than a little annoyed as he stood in Ninja Ops less than an hour after his home had been destroyed and his father called for him to bring the Academy's only three morphers to give to Shane, Dustin and Tori. He tried to be reasonable and present a logical argument against such an action, really he did.

After all, he was nothing if not logical.

"But these guys?" he began, his voice going a little higher than he had originally intended. "Them? They're…Well, they're…" He couldn't even think of words to describe just how unqualified these three were. It wasn't that he couldn't accept that his father hadn't chosen him to be a Power Ranger. After all, his father wouldn't even allow him to train as a ninja. It was that he couldn't accept that these three literally bottom of the barrel ninjas had been chosen. A computer would never assign these parameters without a big red "Error! Error!" message appearing.

But his father was insistent and Cam reluctantly presented the three with their completely undeserved Wind Morphers. There was a moment, as each of the three attached their morphers, that Cam couldn't help but let a small smile slip because, as pathetic as they were (and they were plenty pathetic), the three were certainly happy about receiving their undeserved gifts, especially Dustin.

…But, it wasn't meant to last.

"Does it have any games or what?" Dustin asked, studying the morpher as if it were…a _toy_. Really, the world's most advanced technology right at his finger tips and he wants to play _games_ on it?

And, as the three continued their annoying banter, Cam couldn't help but groan, "Ladies and gentleman, the defenders of the galaxy." Obviously the galaxy was doomed. He should work on that global defense grid he'd been thinking about. That, at least, made sense. And Cam liked things that made sense.

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><p>Dustin Brooks was awesome!<p>

Not only was he a ninja, but he was a Power Ranger. To say he was excited about receiving his yellow Wind morpher is like saying he's just sorta good at motocross (which was a total lie because he seriously burns up the track, forcing all the other riders to eat his dirt). In other words, it was a total understatement.

See, Dustin had always believed in Power Rangers. His two friends didn't. Well, of course Tori didn't because she was skeptical about everything. Seriously, he'd handed her an ice cream one time (because he's a nice guy!) and she was like, "Where did you get this?" and "What flavor is it?" and "_blah blah blah_." It's ice cream and you find out the flavor when you eat it. That's part of the fun of having someone give you ice cream.

And Shane tried to pretend like he wasn't just as much of an unbeliever, but Dustin saw right through his best friend. He knew Shane was just humoring him. He wasn't really as dumb as his friends sometimes thought.

But now wasn't the time to worry about how wrong his friends were. It was time to rub their faces in his absolute rightness…and those two things were totally different. After all, they'd see he was right and they'd totally stop the whole not believing him thing and they'd always believe everything he said. It was only a matter of time before they finally helped him track down Bigfoot. He could practically see it now... If anyone was going to catch the elusive Bigfoot, it had to be ninjas.

But there was something about _"saving the world"_ that had to come first.

…Whatever, he could handle it and _still_ catch Bigfoot.

And he definitely proved himself to his friends when he (now the-always-right-one) knew how to morph and the others had to just "watch and learn."

Awesome was in his blood.

"I told you Power Rangers were real!" he declared the moment the three returned to Ninja Ops after blowing up some space monster. He was in the middle of pointing out his always rightness to his unbelieving friends when Sensei interrupted them.

"You did well this time, rangers," the talking guinea pig said, "but understand that… _blah blah blah_ and Lothor will not _blah blah blah_ and the future is in your hands, Power Rangers."

Right, that _"save the world"_ stuff. It was kinda a buzzkill, but Dustin had read enough Power Rangers comics to know what to expect. The only _sorta_ downside to the whole thing was Cam, Sensei's son.

…Okay, sure, there were a lot of downsides, like the school being destroyed, the students being captured and their Sensei being turned into a talking guinea pig… Actually, that was kinda cool. But, when Dustin tried to thank Cam for the awesome morphers, he caught the super smart computer geek (which was seriously so much more awesome than a comic book geek!) glaring at them.

It was like he hated them.

At first, he assumed he was just jealous because, like, _who wouldn't be_? But, as he said, "Thanks dude! These things are awesome!" in his most nicest of voices, he didn't get anything but a grunt.

…Seriously, a grunt.

"I think this is the part where you say, 'You're welcome,'" Shane suggested with a chuckle.

"Right," Cam replied slowly, glancing between them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it looks like I have a _lot_ of work ahead of me."

"Cam, we're the rangers," Tori said with a smile. "Isn't that our line?"

That was when Cam's glare looked like his eyes were about to shoot out laser beams. Dustin prepared to jump in front of his friend to protect her from Cam's death glare, but the laser-eyed geek just turned and left the room.

Shane and Tori just shrugged this off, but it stuck in the earth ninja's mind and wouldn't let go. Even when Dustin was lying in his bed that night, thinking about how awesome it was to be a Power Ranger, he couldn't help but wonder about Cam.

He kept seeing that look in Cam's eyes.

So, the next time he met up with his friends at Storm Chargers, he decided to ask, "Why does Cam hate us?"

The other two stared at him for a moment. They were always a little slow at keeping up with his thoughts. "I don't think he hates us," Tori argued, but Shane shrugged.

"I don't know, but I'm definitely sensing some bad vibes there," Shane agreed.

"Yeah, it's in his eyes," Dustin added, happy that at least Shane could see the truth of his rightness.

"But he's always been that way, even before we…" Shane said, gestured to the morpher on his wrist.

"You guys are taking this too personally," Tori argued, trying once again to play peacemaker. "Cam's probably just… not good with people."

Shane nodded, thinking. "Yeah, I don't remember ever seeing him hang out with any of the students. It was just him alone or him and his dad, that's it."

"Maybe he has friends we don't know about," Tori suggested.

"Not unless he chats with them online," Shane countered.

"So, he hates us because he doesn't have any friends?" Dustin asked.

"Dustin, that's not what we're—" Tori began before the wavy haired brunette interrupted her.

"Dude, that's it!" he exclaimed. "He's lonely!"

"With his attitude, he's gonna be lonely a long time," Shane pointed out.

"But he has us!" Dustin finished, an awesome plan already forming in his mind. "He probably doesn't know how to make friends, being a geek and all, so we'll teach him!"

"Just like how you didn't know how to make friends until we taught you?" Tori said with a small laugh.

"Totally," Dustin agreed. "He'll be like _so_ happy we want to be his friends that he'll stop hating us!"

"Why do I get the feeling this is a bad idea?" Shane commented.

And now it was time for Dustin's awesome plan to become reality. Sure, there were some parts he wasn't sure about, but he preferred to make things up as he went along. It was more fun that way. Plus, Dustin loved surprises!

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><p>Cam hated surprises.<p>

By contrast, he loved order and predictability.

And, most of all, he loved peace and quiet while he tried to work, especially when it came to finishing the delicate task of making holographic portals capable of transporting a hundred tons of metal out of the Zord bay and into the city. But, as he somehow suspected from the beginning (perhaps he's a psychic since, after all, he's clearly not a ninja or a Power Ranger despite being responsible for making everything they did work), the three ninjas turned saviors of the universe were somehow opposed to order and certainly opposed to peace and quiet.

Five minutes listening to them blabber about nothing could tell him that.

He let himself focus on his work for the few precious seconds he had until the rangers finished their descent down into Ninja Ops and completely distracted him from his work.

Dustin was the first to enter and he pranced over to Cam, leaning forward and studying the screen (as if any of what was on it would make sense to the him) before turning his attention to the computer's mildly annoyed user.

Cam was about to point out that, not only was Ninja Ops _supposed_ to be a secure headquarters, but, with the Academy destroyed, it was essentially _his home_. How would the three like it if Cam entered their homes uninvited?

…Somehow he suspected that concept would go right over their heads, especially Dustin.

He had very little hope for Dustin.

"Dude, what are you working on?" the wavy haired brunette asked, as expected not at all understanding the energy graphs on the screen.

Cam decided to humor him, hoping that, if it _sounded_ important (even if Dustin had no hope of understanding it), he could be left in peace to finish his work. "I'm adjusting variables for the spatial distortion caused by mater-energy transport."

As predicted, the brunette clearly in need of a comb stared at him blank faced. "That like sounds…" Dustin began, trailing off uncertainly.

"Difficult?" Cam offered. "It is. It requires a great deal of focus and concentration." He gestured his arms around the room. "The technology you see around you didn't build itself nor does it run itself. Not yet anyway," he added, thinking of an idea for a virtual replicant that he'd toyed with in the back of his mind.

"You… made all this?" Shane asked, surprised.

"Much of it, yes, Shane," Cam snapped. Far from all of it, but that was a nuance he figured was a waste of time to explain. "It didn't appear out of thin air like magic."

"That's not what we meant, Cam," Tori tried to argue, but she stopped to look at her friend Dustin and Cam followed her gaze. Apparently, something was coming from the messy haired teen and Cam felt a sudden surge of dread.

"Dude, I like you," Dustin said cheerfully, a big smile spreading across his face.

That was when Cam's mouth fell open. It took him a moment to process what the earth ninja was saying.

A part of him wanted to blush. Perhaps that was just because no one had ever said that to him before. But why should he care that someone so… clueless liked him? For the first time, he really took a moment to examine Dustin. There was something there in his face, in his eyes, something that made feelings stir inside Cam.

"We all like you," Dustin continued, gesturing to Shane and Tori.

…Which actually made a hell of a lot more sense, but for some reason, this made Cam feel disappointed. He wasn't sure why he had hoped that moment was somehow kept between just the two of them.

"Like, you're smart and…" Dustin continued, obviously searching his brain. It must have been like a quest through a deserted wasteland. The hesitation made Cam want to frown.

"Reliable," Shane chimed in.

"And you're a nice guy," Tori added, which caused Shane and even Cam to stare at her in disbelief.

Cam knew he wasn't nice, but it was Dustin who confirmed it.

"But Cam's mean," Dustin argued with his friends before turning back to a now glaring Cam. "That's why we're here. We don't want you to be lonely anymore, so we'll be your friends."

Somehow hearing these words, even if they were the truth (and Cam _did_ value the truth), stung. There was something so _demeaning_ about what Dustin was saying and it infuriated Cam. Apparently the "I like you" had been said out of pity.

Yes, _pity_.

And his golden brown eyes had looked so sincere… But, not _only_ was Dustin saying that Cam was "mean" (which was technically accurate) but that the poor lonely Cam needed him and his friends so he wouldn't be lonely anymore. He turned back to his screen, unable to keep from gritting his teeth. He managed, in a low tone, to say, "That won't be necessary."

"Come on, dude," Dustin insisted, suddenly and unexpectedly throwing his arms around Cam's shoulders. "We're gonna get ice cream!"

Cam froze. Being the only child of a distant father did not prepare him for unexpected physical contact. It felt foreign and awkward to be touched, especially so spontaneously, but Dustin felt warm and there was something… nice about it. It was enough to soften his anger somewhat.

"Who doesn't like ice cream?" he heard Shane comment behind him.

"I have work to finish," Cam reminded them.

"Yeah, dude," Dustin continued, "if we're like Power Rangers that protect the Earth and stuff and we can take a break, why can't you?"

Dustin truly was an airhead. Did he really not grasp that they were just some students who just _happened_ to be late to class on the day their school was destroyed and that everything that made them Power Rangers was because of his work? Obviously, it was beyond the earth ninja, so Cam tried to be as simple and clear as possible, as if he were talking to a child. "If Lothor attacks again, and I have not yet completed the holographic portal tests, you may lose."

"Dude, we can't lose!" Dustin argued, laughing like it was some kind of a joke. "We're Power Rangers!"

Oh how nice it must be to be so blissfully optimistic, but Cam didn't have that luxury.

"You can lose a lot of things," he explained. "You can lose a battle. You can lose the Earth. And you can lose your lives." He looked directly into Dustin's eyes as he said this. As much as they annoyed him, he didn't want them to die. The thought of Dustin, as dumb as he was, dying without ever really understanding the world around him disturbed Cam. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" And, with that, Cam turned back to his work and tried to concentrate.

"Dude, let's go," he heard Shane say.

"We tried," Tori whispered.

And, as Dustin was reluctantly dragged away, Cam could finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Perhaps you should have gone with them." The voice startled Cam and he turned to see his father entering the room atop his mobile habitat. He was still having trouble getting used to the idea that his father, always a strong, proud man, was now a guinea pig.

"I have work to do," he reminded his father. Reminded, because if anyone understood the importance of his work, it was his father.

"Son, sometimes stretching one's horizons can bring a clarity of thought and aide in one's tasks," his father continued.

Cam couldn't help but sigh. "Dad, they don't even understand what I'm working on. They're…" He wanted to say "_idiots_," but he knew his father would disapprove.

"Who says you must discuss your work?" his father asked in his usual infuriatingly calm tone.

"So, I just go out and eat ice cream and laugh at who can make ice cream come out of their nose?" Cam snapped.

"Cameron, do not continue to underestimate them," his father warned with a subtle earnestness that only his son could pick up on. "They were chosen for a reason. It is a fact you must accept, but it can also be a truth you embrace."

Cam fought off a groan. There was no point in arguing with his father. Even as a guinea pig, he could never admit he was wrong. After all, he was still the Sensei and Cam was only his son.

"Next time, I'll go," he finally agreed, turning back to his screen.

It was a false promise and they both knew it, but his father said nothing more and decided to leave Cam in peace.

Still…as much as Cam tried to think about his work, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to sit around a table, eating ice cream, like a… Funny, but the first word that came to his mind was…_ friend_.

But that was silly and a complete waste of valuable time. Even thinking about it cut into time he could be working, so he brushed the thought aside and stared at the screen.

Ah, the energy wave patterns were almost aligned. He hunched his shoulders, preparing to lean into the keyboard and finish the configuration when a sensation radiated through his body. It was… a loss? He… _missed_ Dustin's touch. The thought almost made him chuckle it was so absurd. But then he wondered if maybe the messy haired brunette was right.

Maybe Cam was lonely after all.

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><p>"Come on, Dustin, cheer up," Tori said as she poked at her nonfat frozen yogurt. He insisted she get real ice cream, but she said she was "watching her figure." So was every guy in the ice cream shop, but Dustin didn't get what that had to do with eating nonfat frozen yogurt<em>. Ick!<em>

"Yeah, he just likes being alone," Shane added between bites of his rocky road ice cream. "Can you believe he built all that technology? He must be like some kind of a genius or something."

"Yeah, he's smart and…" Dustin mumbled, adding, "still mean. I just thought…" He mixed the sprinkles and M&Ms into his Neapolitan ice cream. "…I thought he'd make a good friend."

"Why did you think that?" Tori asked curiously, still avoiding eating her frozen yogurt.

Dustin shrugged, throwing his arms up. "I don't know. He's just like… There's something about him. I feel bad he's so lonely." He had been so _sure_ there was a change in Cam's eyes, on his face, that maybe his plan was working.

"We don't have to give up on him," Tori encouraged, finally taking a bite.

"We don't?" Shane asked, looking up from his ice cream. "I'm seriously thinking there's nothing under that mean exterior but more meanness."

"Maybe we just need to, like, keep trying," Dustin suggested. After all, it was only a matter of time before the mean aloneness lost to the awesome power of friendship. It was like an unwritten law or something. And Cam was super smart, so he should totally understand this.

"Good luck," Shane said, patting Dustin's shoulder.

"What, we're going to leave it up to him to bring Cam out of his shell?" Tori asked.

"Nah, it's cool,' Dustin assured her with a smile. "I got this."

The grumpy hermit had finally met his match: the happy social butterfly that was Dustin Brooks. After all, in the movies, the grumpy guy always comes out of his shell and becomes super nice. Scrooge! Yeah, Cam was just like Scrooge, but instead of loving money, he loved his computer and all that nerdy techno stuff. But, just like in the movies, the geek would bend to the powers of the airhead.

It was like destiny and Dustin was going to make it happen.

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><p><em>To Be Continued…<em>


	2. The Recluse and the Friend

**Author****'****s****Note:**Thank you **griffin****blackwood**, **MidnightMoonWarrior**, **XxLunerMoonxX**, **sg1robinson**, **Tarice****the****Styraurus**, and **anon** for reviewing and praising the first chapter! This story is being betaed by the ever talented **Rebel****Paisley**, author of PRNS classics like **Any****Moment**, **Into****the****Woods**, and **What****You****Own**. If you read the first chapter before it was betafied, then go back and re-read it. No, seriously, you will not regret doing so! And now, sorry for the delay and that this chapter is short, but here's chapter two…

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><p><strong>The Geek and the Airhead<strong>

**Chapter 2: The Recluse and the Friend**

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><p>Dustin was Cam's best friend.<p>

Well, okay, so Dustin was probably Cam's only friend. And… Dustin wasn't even sure that Cam knew the yellow ranger considered the super smart computer tech as his friend. He tried hard to make it obvious, like by being really helpful and handing Cam a wrench during this particular visit to Ninja Ops. Because… Cam built things and a wrench was a killer tool for fixing up bikes.

…That and Dustin really had no idea what all the other tools the tech had were or what they were used for. He had just found a toolbox during this visit to Ninja Ops, otherwise known as Camland, and he didn't recognize even half of the stuff that was in it. Was that a robotic fishing rod? A mechanical duster? Maybe a super powered back scratcher? That'd be awesome! He was going to have to totally convince Cam to let him borrow it. But, when he looked back at the mystery tool's owner to ask, Cam was staring at the wrench, then at him, then at the wrench. Finally, the tech set the tool down and started doing… whatever he did on his computer all the time. It was probably important, so Dustin just went back to reading his Power Rangers comics and eating chips. Sometimes friends just needed to be there for each other when they were needed and the brunette was willing to wait for that moment when he was needed by Cam.

As he read (or looked at the pictures) about the Power Rangers smacking down another villain, he noticed that Cam looked uncomfortable and kept fidgeting a lot. Well, a lot for Cam, who normally just sat there typing away. Maybe his butt hurt from sitting in that chair all day? It did look really uncomfortable. So, when Cam spun his chair around to stare at his new best friend, Dustin suggested, "I bet your butt is like really sore."

Cam stared at him like his hair was on fire or something, so he gestured toward the chair. "It looks uncomfortable, dude."

"My seat is fine," Cam replied, obviously just trying to put on a brave front for the whole uncomfortable chair disaster. "Don't you have parents you could be annoying right now with your page turning and constant crunching?"

Mouth full of chips, Dustin shook his head. "No one's home," he mumbled, chip crumbs flying everywhere. "Here, want some?" he asked, offering Cam the mostly empty bag.

The uncomfortable tech made a disgusted face, probably because there were only crumbs left. Next time Dustin would have to remember to bring two bags so he could share. After all, that's what friends did, they share. On second thought, he was probably going to need three bags… or more.

Those were some good chips.

"Hey, wouldn't it be awesome if we had some cool bikes like these?" Dustin asked, turning his comic to face the tech. In the picture, the Power Rangers were atop super powered bikes that were blasting laser beams at some bad guys.

"Motorcycles with lasers?" Cam asked, unable to hide his surprise. Being so smart, he knew awesome when he saw it. "As Power Rangers, you can move anywhere faster than a cycle and you have weapons already. I should know. I designed the biophasic integration."

"The…what?" Dustin asked.

"It's what allows you to pull a weapon seemingly from thin air," Cam explained, causing Dustin to nod. Yep, that was pretty awesome too. But they still needed laserbikes.

…Maybe they could even work on making them together. That'd totally be a real bonding friendship type thing.

"Are you going to clean up after yourself?" Cam asked, completely interrupting images of laserbikes dancing around the brunette's head.

Dustin followed the tech's gaze until he saw a pile of chip crumbs running down the front of his training outfit and spread out in a circle around his feet. "Dude, I'm sorry," he said, quickly kneeling and scooping the crumbs back into the bag. After he was done, he then ate the crumbs out of the bag.

A little dirt never hurt anyone, especially a ninja.

Cam looked like he might be about to say something, but instead he just turned back to his computer. At least his computer wasn't lonely. But maybe it was uncomfortable too.

"I know!" Dustin realized, temporarily forgetting the laserbikes and chips. "A pillow!"

This time Cam didn't bother turning around. His dedication to his computer was admirable. Dustin hoped to be at least as good a friend to Cam as the tech was to his computer.

One could always dream.

"It'd make your seat a lot more comfortable," Dustin explained. "I'll get you one!"

And, with that, Dustin, Cam's best and only friend, ran out of Camland in search of something to make the tech's butt all nice and comfy. And nothing was better than a tech with a comfy butt. Now, could he spare one of his pillows or would he have to get another? Shrugging to himself, he figured he might as well buy a few more. After all, you could never have too many pillows. It was like a rule or something, like never having too comfortable of a butt.

…And Dustin loved soft butts.

That, and laserbikes!

* * *

><p>Cam didn't need five separate cameras in the corridor leading down into Ninja Ops to know that Dustin was descending the stairs. The earth ninja had hardly left him alone for a moment for the past two days and, besides that, the wavy haired brunette had about as much ninja stealth as a toddler with a sugar high, complete with twice the energy. In fact, Cam could hear Dustin literally… <em>skipping<em> over to his seat where he was trying (again, in vane) to focus on his work.

…Seriously, skipping? Cam shook his head at just how bizarre the brunette was.

"Dude, aren't you ever like _not_ on your computer?" Dustin's voice asked as he approached.

Cam sighed involuntarily. "Actually, Dustin, I just finished tying the holographic simulation manifold into the mainframe and now I'm—"

"I meant, don't you ever _not__work_?" Dustin clarified, setting down two plastic bags.

Cam paused, thinking. Of course he took breaks to eat and sleep, though exactly when those things had last occurred was somewhat of a mystery at the moment because, as often was the case, he had been too caught up in his work to notice the passage of time. He'd even been too busy to update his daily progress notebook. So, instead he decided to shift the easily distracted brunette's attention to the two bags that were occupying a once perfectly uncluttered spot beside him. "Let me guess… pillows?" he hypothesized.

Dustin promptly smacked his forehead with one hand. Cam had the distinct feeling he did this a lot. "Dude, I totally forgot about the pillow! I just got so distracted."

That wasn't surprising, but then what was in the bags? Cam couldn't help but cringe as the thought of dirty laundry crossed his mind. It would figure that the messy haired brunette would somehow break his washing machine and come to Cam for help. At least he had brought the clothes and not the washer itself.

Cam was _not_ going to fit washer repair into his schedule.

"See, I was about to get some pillows," Dustin explained, his hands moving around haphazardly, "when I thought about how you were too busy to get ice cream with us last time. So, I brought the ice cream to you!" Dustin finished, pulling out a small carton and a plastic spoon in a _"__tada__"_ fashion.

Cam simply blinked at the brunette's dramatic flair, unimpressed.

Dustin grinned and continued, still filled with his usual nervous excitement. "I got you mint."

Cam raised an eyebrow. "Why mint?"

"'Cause it's green," Dustin replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You choose flavors based on their… color?" Cam asked slowly.

Dustin nodded fervently. "You're like _always_ in green, so I know it's totally your favorite color.

Cam looked down and, indeed, he was wearing green, but his clothes were chosen for practicality and comfort, not for their color. Still… did he really always wear green? He should start cataloging his wardrobe. "So, you assumed I would like a flavor that matches my shirt?" he prompted.

"Totally," Dustin agreed. "'Cause you know I'm _always_ spilling on myself." He cocked his head to the side in thought…or, in an attempt to look like he was thinking. "But I also like banana and pineapple and lemon 'cause they taste good."

So there were banana, pineapple, and lemon flavors of ice cream? Cam was apparently out of the loop as far as ice cream flavors went. Perhaps he should research… He shook his head, recovering his focus. "Did it ever occur to you to ask me first?"

"That's why I got chocolate too," Dustin said, producing a carton of chocolate ice cream. "Who doesn't like chocolate?"

"Not everyone likes chocolate, Dustin," Cam pointed out.

Dustin just stared at him with a look like he'd said there was no Santa Claus. It wouldn't surprise Cam if the brunette did still believe in the jolly fat man.

"Plus, for all you know, I might be allergic to dairy," Cam continued, "or be lactose intolerant, which is not technically an allergy but an—"

"You can't have ice cream?" Dustin nearly shouted, giving him a look of shock and pity normally reserved for someone who had just been deemed paralyzed for life.

"I can eat ice cream," Cam assured him. "I was simply making a point."

"A point?" Dustin asked blankly.

"An example, a…" Cam began before quickly giving up. Really, what was the point? He settled for an exasperated groan instead.

"Oh, right," Dustin nodded before shaking his head, his hair flopping about wildly. "Aw, dude, you totally freaked me out there for a sec." He then proceeded to line up ice cream containers along the side of the keyboard in front of Cam.

Cam again groaned, covering his face slightly with one hand as if the offending containers would vanish. "There are electronic devices in here that are extremely sensitive," he pointed out.

…Though not as sensitive as Cam's nerves were becoming.

"And a frozen liquid is not—" Cam continued.

"Dude, chill," Dustin said, handing Cam a plastic spoon, which the tech took hesitantly. At least it wasn't a wrench. When the wavy haired brunette had handed him said tool earlier in the day, it had been very hard not to use it in a completely unintended manner, a manner that involved a lot of bludgeoning.

…lots and lots of bludgeoning.

"Dustin, I—" Cam began, but that's when it happened.

Dustin had just opened two of the three flavors of ice cream and was flailing his arms dangerously, as he often did when he was making a point, when one such crazy limb connected with the open cartons. "It's not like I'm gonna—" The earth ninja's words were drown out by the sound of containers of half melted ice cream splattering against the keyboard.

The effect was instantaneous. Before Cam could even react to the event, smoke flew from the keyboard, the lights flickered in the room, and the screen in front of him went blank.

"Did I…" Dustin mumbled. "Cam, I'm sorry." The brunette's hands sprang into action, trying to scoop the cold goop out of the keyboard and back into the respective cartons, but he only managed to rub the substance deeper into the keys.

Cam had tried to be patient with the "special needs" ranger, really he had, but not only was the tech not a ninja or a Power Ranger, but he wasn't Superman. He had his limit and this was it.

"This," Cam growled, "this is why you don't deserve to wear that uniform, let alone be a Power Ranger."

"Cam, I'm really sorry," the wannabe ninja whined. "I wanted to—"

"You can't even move like a ninja," Cam continued while reaching down to open a panel underneath the computer. "And yet, here you are, a ninja and a Power Ranger," he continued angrily, fanning smoke away from his face as he noticed a sticky brown substance ooze down an exposed circuit board. "And _you__'__re_ expected to save the world when you can't stop yourself from coming down here, interrupting my work every few hours, and completely ruining the technology that allows you to do your job? I'm amazed you haven't broken your morpher yet. Or have you?" He stopped his attempts to redirect the flow of melted ice cream to glare at the brunette.

"Come on, dude," Dustin whined. "Don't you think that's a little harsh? I said I'm sorry."

"Have you ever thought that _you__'__re_the reason I'm too busy to go out?" Cam snapped, continuing to glare. "Dustin, why do you come down here when there's no training and no reason for you to be here?"

"I come here for you," the brunette replied slowly.

The tech might have been touched by the sincerity of the words had he not been so painfully aware of the motivation behind them. "If it's because you feel sorry for me because I don't have friends like you, then—"

"So, you don't have friends," Dustin interrupted, a familiar look in his golden brown eyes… _pity_.

Cam felt something constrict in his throat, so he turned back to the open panel. "Just get out."

"I can help—" Dustin began to protest.

"No, obviously you can't," Cam argued. "I'll clean the mess and make the repairs." He clutched his forehead, sighing. "It's going to be a long night."

"Cam…" Dustin pleaded, placing a hand gingerly on Cam's tensed shoulder.

A part of the green clad tech felt sorry for the earth ninja, but logically he knew that it was Dustin and his friends who doubled his workload when they became Power Rangers and the messy haired earth ninja himself who just tripled that workload. He had to do so much just so Dustin and his friends could play heroes and reward their "hard work" with ice cream. It was all so… infuriating.

He shook his shoulders, releasing Dustin's grip on him in the process. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of the sensation that made him wonder if he was lonely. If this was what "friendship" meant, he wanted no part of it.

"Just get out," he repeated, a finality in his tone that surprised even him.

After a few quiet protests, he heard the brunette shuffled about before leaving altogether.

Once Cam was certain he was alone, he sighed and turned to see that the cartons of ice cream had been left behind. He began to place the lids back onto the containers, starting with mint and then chocolate, when he decided to peer into the third, unopened container. Inside was a distinctly yellow hue.

The melted ice cream would mostly likely have to be thrown out, so he figured he might as well taste it before it went to waste. Picking up the plastic spoon, he dug into the soft, frigid surface and took a bite.

The taste was surprising, consisting of pineapple and coconut, possibly making it piña colada flavor. It was a unique, quirky flavor that excited his taste buds, but it was a little too wild for him. In a way, it reminded him of Dustin.

He immediately placed the lid back on the container.

Instead, he turned back to the carton of mint ice cream and began eating the familiar, predictable taste. Cam appreciated predictability.

That, and mint was his favorite flavor after all.

* * *

><p><em><strong>To be continued…<strong>_


	3. Success and Failure

**Author's Note: **Thank you **griffin blackwood**, **megsjedi** and **Tarice the Styraurus** for reviewing last chapter! Sorry for the delay! I know it's been _forever_, but this story is going somewhere! This chapter takes place during the second episode of series, the episode called "There's No I In Team." That's the one where Shane decides to try to go it alone and the rangers first get their Zords and this chapter sort of "fills in the blanks" so to speak. As always, this story is being beta-ed by the ever talented (and patient!) **Rebel Paisley**, author of PRNS classics like **Any Moment Reprise **and **Into the Woods**. And, yes, I will try to work on some of my other stories this summer too!

* * *

><p><strong>The Geek and the Airhead<strong>

**Chapter 3: Success and Failure**

* * *

><p>Dustin was a failure.<p>

There wasn't even a world for just how epic a failure he was. He was like... the grand canyon of failure or something like that. He rubbed his face as he and Tori made their way out of Ninja Ops. _Warm bed, here I come_, he thought.

His bed wouldn't care if he was a failure.

"Don't worry, he'll come around," Tori encouraged, patting the brunette's arm.

"He hates me," Dustin complained, kicking his foot on one of the steps.

_Stupid steps._ Walking to his bed was taking _forever_.

"Shane gets like this sometimes," she continued. "He just needs to get his head out of his—"

"Shane?" the earth ninja interrupted, pausing to glance at his friend.

"Yeah," she replied. "Who did you think I was talking about?"

Oh yeah, _Shane_. Jerkface.

Dustin half yawned and half groaned. He was so tired, tired of training and tired of being a failure, but Shane hadn't wanted to give up and wanted to keep trying this simulation where the three of them had been wandering through a desert while being tied together. All afternoon they had done nothing but fail and fail and _fail_. But the air ninja just couldn't accept failure, especially not grand canyon sized failure. But Dustin could.

He knew a losing battle when he saw one.

"Oh," Tori realized. "Your... _project_ not cooperating?"

"My what?" he asked, continuing his battle with the unending steps.

"Cam," she clarified.

He nodded, sighing. "I ruined everything."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"Dude, of course it's true!" he countered, throwing his arms in the air. "You notice he had to use his laptop to run that hologram thingy?"

"Yes, I noticed," she replied, confused.

"I crashed Ops," he confessed, cringing at the memory. "I just wanted to..." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "He doesn't think I deserve to be a Power Ranger or even a ninja and... and he's right."

Tori was silent for a moment before speaking up. "He was probably just upset."

"Duh," Dustin groaned. "'Cause I totally ruined everything."

He reached up, almost like he could pull the layer of failure off himself, but he couldn't.

_Stupid stubborn failure._

His friend started to reach out for his arm, but he shook her off as the two emerged above ground.

"Cam needs space," he continued. "I'm gonna give him what he wants."

"Dustin," she tried to protest, but he was already gone.

If it was space Cam wanted, it was space he'd get. Dustin wouldn't bother him with his lame excuse for ninja skills. No, he'd be just like a real ninja.

And Cam would never even notice him.

* * *

><p>Cam was a success.<p>

And he wasn't too modest to revel in his own success. After all, it had taken three days to repair Ninja Ops back to its pre-Dustin functionality, which wasn't bad considering that he had also temporarily tied the systems and even the mainframe into the academy's laptop while simultaneously continuing his regular duties, as well as continuing his work on the Zords.

Currently, he was seated in front of Ninja Ops' main computer terminal, attempting to configure the Megazord integration using the three separate Zords. The reason for his newfound productivity was simple: The earth ninja responsible for the extra work in the first place had never once interrupted him.

Not once.

No, the now highly productive tech only saw the impulsive teen during training and, even then, Dustin never even so much as said hello. The earth ninja even went so far as to avoid eye contact every time Cam would glance his way. It was a startling contrast between the hyper Dustin who would greet him every few hours as though the two were long lost relatives newly reunited, to the Dustin who always looked down at his element beneath his feet.

Apparently, being stern with the earth ninja was the right approach, which was a relief, because, though Cam hated to admit it, he had felt a tinge of guilt over how he'd spoken to Dustin. Still, it had been necessary. The damage could have been far worse had Dustin continued his constant visits.

Now Cam was free to work uninterrupted without fear of losing his focus.

Though, somewhere in the back of his mind he missed how the interruptions broke up the monotony.

...The way, _way_ back of his mind.

While he tried to make the massive Zord hydraulic system work, he decided to add a seat warmer to the Zords' cockpits. That was another thing floating around the back of his mind, something about pillows and soft seats.

For a moment, when his father entered the room, Cam almost thought it was Dustin and he felt something... disappointment, maybe?

Clearly he was overworked.

And why had he put seat warmers again?

"Have you been successful with the Megazord configuration yet, son?" Sensei asked as he approached atop his mobile habitat.

"Not yet," Cam admitted. "I just finished repairing the mess the _yellow ranger_ made and so I haven't gotten very far."

"I am certain Dustin did not mean to spill the ice cream," Sensei commented as he hopped onto the nearby table to work on a puzzle.

"Of course he didn't 'mean to'," Cam agreed. "I'm sure he does a lot of things he doesn't 'mean to'."

"His heart is in the right place, Cameron," Sensei said, sliding a puzzle piece with his tiny staff.

His heart? Cam wasn't sure whether to groan or laugh. The heart was simply an organ that circulated oxygen through the body via the bloodstream, not some mystical gateway to the human soul.

He settled for a sigh. He felt so... alone sometimes, as though he were the only person with his level of intellect. Well, perhaps a doctor would know what a heart was, but he accepted this burden just as he accepted that he, the Sensei's only son, could not be a ninja or a Power Ranger and, despite his obviously superior technological knowledge, could not even pilot a Zord.

"Father, are you sure that it's wise to give Dustin the biggest Zord?" he decided to ask.

"Earth is the strongest element, far more solid and difficult to work with that either air or water," Sensei explained. "The Zord will be a challenge to control, but one I feel Dustin is up for."

"Right," Cam mumbled, picturing a massive metal lion smashing through downtown Blue Bay Harbor because Dustin didn't "mean to" let his joyride get out of hand.

"Cameron, this is the moment the Wind Ninja Academy has been preparing for," his father continued.

"I know," he grumbled, removing his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes.

As the guinea pig resumed his shuffling of puzzle pieces, Cam couldn't help but remember the constant sounds of crunching, page turning and fidgeting that Dustin had made. By contrast, Ninja Ops was so... _quiet_ now.

Not that Cam was complaining.

As the tech returned his glasses to his face, he stared at the massive Lion Zord. Sure, it would be the most difficult to control, but it would also be the safest. It could take the most damage if something should go wrong.

And, knowing Dustin, something _would_ go wrong.

Somehow, knowing the wavy-haired brunette would be safe made Cam feel a little at ease and he was able to continue his work, knowing that the least deserving ranger would still come back in once piece.

* * *

><p>Dustin couldn't help but smile as he watched the expression on Cam's face when the three Power Rangers returned from their first Zord battle.<p>

That's right, _Zord _battle.

They got Zords! And, not only that, but _he_ had been the one to save the day, using his awesome new Lion Zord. And, even _more_ awesome than their new Zords, was the look on Cam's face. He looked... _happy_.

_Cam was happy._

It was like, _"Stop the presses! Cam's smiling!"_ The yellow ranger couldn't help but offer the tech a high five after Sensei was done lecturing. Sure, he knew he told himself he was going to give the grumpy tech space, but he just felt too awesome not to share some of that with Cam.

And, after a little hesitation, Cam actually raised his hand, awkwardly, but still... he high fived him back!

Behind him, he could hear his friends laugh. It was nice to have everything back the way it should be. It just felt so... right.

"I'll admit that I was a little surprised," Cam began, failing horribly at trying to hide his smile, "but the Zords performed exceptionally."

"The Zords?" Tori prompted.

The tech sighed. "Well, yes, you three did far better than I had been expecting."

"In other words, we're awesome," Dustin translated.

"More or less," Cam agreed, shrugging.

"That's high praise from him," Shane chuckled.

Yeah, it was good to have everything work out. All that failure was a total buzzkill and Dustin was stoked about finally getting rid of it. Plus, the red ranger was back on board with the whole teamwork thing, which was a relief for Dustin, who was getting tired of feeling like a worthless loser.

"But were all those one liners really necessary?" Cam asked, trying to regain his serious composure.

"What one liners?" the three asked, confused.

Cam just sighed, turning back to his computer to work on some other secret project. Dustin couldn't wait to find out what the next surprise would be. The earth ninja loved surprises and the tech had the most awesome surprises!

"I _knew_ you were up to something," he declared, patting Cam's shoulder fondly.

But, when Cam turned back from the screen, his expression had totally changed, a frown now on his face.

"Yes..." he began, slowly, "I _was_ up to something. I was repairing the systems you damaged."

"Oh," Dustin mumbled, pulling his hand back. "I didn't—"

"Mean to?" Cam finished. "Yes, I know." He then returned to his work.

"Um, we're cool then?" Dustin asked tentatively.

The tech didn't say anything at first. But, after a moment, he grumbled, "If you'll excuse me, I have a few more tests to run."

Dustin stared at the back of Cam's head as he worked. He _so_ wanted to see that smile on Cam's face again. It felt so... he wasn't sure what it was about the smile, but he liked it a lot.

"Come on, let's go _celebrate_," Shane called, grinning at the yellow ranger.

"Sure," Dustin mumbled. And, as he turned to go, he could have sworn he heard Cam let out an exasperated sigh.

But maybe that was just his imagination.

* * *

><p>Cam had to admit that he was more than a little surprised by the success of the rangers' first Zord battle. Sure, there had been the foreseen obstacles and complications, but the three Power Rangers had worked through them as a team. And, most surprising of all, it had been Dustin who used his significantly larger Lion Zord to rescue his friends from Lothor's magnet-headed monster.<p>

He had originally been so doubtful of the yellow ranger's abilities, but now he found himself rethinking that assessment. Dustin was obviously capable of using his powers at least somewhat competently.

And now he understood why the wavy-haired teen had been so withdrawn recently. Apparently, Shane had decided to try to save the world on his own. When that obviously failed, he admitted his mistake and the team was reunited. Cam had thought that Dustin had been avoiding _him_, but now it seemed far more likely that the yellow ranger had simply been upset over losing one of his two best friends. This was confirmed by the way the teen seemed to have completely forgotten about the repairs he had necessitated. It was perfectly understandable, considering that Shane was his friend and Cam was... not.

Still, a part of him felt hurt.

He tried to focus on the power discs he was working on, but the tech still couldn't stop himself from picturing the three friends sitting around _celebrating_ what they thought of as _their_ victory. He wondered if they even acknowledged him or his work on the Zords at all.

He doubted it.

No, they were probably just talking about how great they were. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before they remembered him enough to pity him and offer a chance to tag along. He would decline, of course. He had work to do and no time for pity. Appreciation, perhaps, but that was highly unlikely. Besides, he doubted they thought of him at all.

Though, a part of him hoped Dustin did.

* * *

><p>There was nothing like team-inspired victory to lift the spirits.<p>

Especially when it involved _pizza_.

Even Tori noticed this, as they chowed down at the local pizza joint after leaving Ninja Ops. "You seem to be in a better mood."

"Yeah," Dustin beamed, shoving a slice of Hawaiian pizza into his mouth.

"I guess it helps that _someone_ realized he couldn't take on Lothor by himself," she continued, throwing a glare Shane's direction.

"Hey, how many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" the air ninja complained.

"A few more," Tori replied, though her smile suggested she wasn't still mad.

If only Cam was as forgiving as Tori.

"And thanks for saving our butts out there, dude," Shane congratulated.

"Yep, me and my awesome Lion Zord," Dustin nodded, smiling.

"Not as awesome as my _Hawk Zord_," Shane argued.

"You mean that Zord that was flailing helplessly out there, dude?" Dustin quipped.

"We are _not_ starting this again," Tori moaned before changing the subject. "So, Dustin, does this mean you'll give project 'Befriend Cam' another chance?"

Dustin frowned mid-chew, thinking. "I don't know."

"Why not?" she asked, surprised.

"Maybe he realized Cam's just not a nice guy," Shane suggested as he devoured his meat lover's pizza.

"People can come around," Tori insisted, raising an eyebrow at the red ranger. "You did."

He shrugged. "I'm not Cam."

"I just make things worse," Dustin mumbled, setting down the slice of pizza. Suddenly he wasn't as hungry as he'd been only moments ago. "I thought I could... somehow like, make him stop being Scrooge."

"Scrooge?" Shane repeated.

"But I couldn't," Dustin finished.

"Dustin, we never gave up on you," Tori encouraged as she nibbled at her salad.

"That's true," Shane agreed, nodding with a full mouth. "And I seriously thought about it a few times." Tori shot him a glare, but he just threw up his arms in surrender. "Joking, joking," he assured her.

"But you guys know how to make friends," Dustin explained. "Shane, you have all your skater friends," he told the air ninja before turning to Tori, "and you introduced me to Kelly. Everybody likes you guys."

Shane did a slight snort laugh.

"Not everyone," Tori disagreed. "I'd be more inclined to say that everyone likes you, Dustin."

"Not Cam," Dustin corrected.

"Yeah, well..." Shane began, waving a hand as he chewed. "Maybe he doesn't like anyone. Why do you care so much about him not having any friends?"

Dustin frowned, thinking.

"I don't know," he admitted, looking between the two. "We're a team. Maybe he can be part of our team."

"The part that hides in Ninja Ops?" Shane suggested.

"Maybe," Dustin agreed.

"Tell you what," Tori said, glancing over to Shane. "We'll talk to him."

"We will?" the air ninja replied, staring at her.

"Yes, _team leader_, we will," she insisted, her famous _"don't argue with me"_ look in full force.

"Yeah," Shane caved, "of course we will. It's not like he's some reclusive hermit who snaps at anyone who gets close," he added, glaring across the table at Tori.

She just glared right back at him.

"Thanks, guys," Dustin said, smiling at the two. "Oh, and you think you guys could give him something for me?" he remembered. He had wanted to sneak it in to surprise Cam, but he knew he just wasn't a good enough ninja not to be seen and bother the tech.

"Sure," Tori agreed easily.

"No problem," Shane added. "What are friends for?"

"Yeah," Dustin smiled, nodding along with his friends. He wanted this for Cam, this _friendship_ thing. That's all he ever really wanted, for Cam to be their friend and to be happy.

But what did Cam want?

* * *

><p>Cam had finished the power disc tests and was moving onto his next project when he heard footsteps descending down into Ninja Ops. It wasn't time for training, so he could think of only one reason for the visit. As expected, once Dustin had made up with Shane, his mood improved and now he felt the need to resume his regular visits. The tech wanted to grumble at the interruption, really he did. But a part of him couldn't help but feel that he had missed the crazy teen's antics. Dustin was quite the enigma, but the biggest enigma of all was why Cam couldn't seem to get the earth ninja out of his head.<p>

But, to his surprise, as he turned in his seat, his eyes fell on Shane and Tori. He looked around, but the third ranger was nowhere to be seen.

"Aren't you missing someone?" he pointed out, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Nope, just us," Shane said, holding a bag in one hand.

"We wanted to... talk to you," Tori began, hesitantly.

Cam glanced between the two, for the first time realizing why they were there without Dustin. It was obviously to apologize for their friend's behavior. And... _possibly_ even to congratulate him on the success of their Zords' performance during their battle. He couldn't help but let a small smile slip.

"Go ahead," he offered generously.

The two looked at each other before the air ninja decided to go first. "We want you to be part of our team."

The smile immediately vanished from the tech's face, replaced by a look of confusion.

"We wouldn't have been able to beat Lothor's goon without you," Tori pointed out.

"That's true," Cam agreed, allowing the smile to return.

"We also want to be your friends," Shane added.

The smile wavered.

"Just you two?" he asked hesitantly.

"Dustin thinks you're still mad at him," Shane explained.

Cam sighed, his smile again disappearing. "I have every reason to be upset with him."

"Friends forgive each other," Tori chimed in, smiling at the red ranger beside her.

The tech grimaced.

"I... do forgive him," he reluctantly admitted. And...it was true. He had forgiven the earth ninja. Though, he had to quickly add, "But that doesn't mean I'm his friend."

A smirk passed over Shane's face. "You know, Dustin had a lot of trouble making friends too."

"Gee, I wonder why," Cam heard himself mumble.

"You two have a lot more in common than you probably think," the air ninja continued.

Cam raised an eyebrow.

"You're both a little awkward when it comes to making new friends," Tori added.

"And you're both into technology," Shane offered. "He likes working with bikes and you like... computers."

"And Zords," Tori added, smiling.

At last, perhaps now there would be some appreciation.

"Did you see us in those things?" Shane declared, grinning. "We were seriously awesome."

...or not.

"I should point out that the Zords you have become so fond of were only ready when you needed them because I was able to focus on testing them without being interrupted every few minutes by Dustin," Cam explained. "So, for all our sakes, let's just continue as things are and I will make your technology work while you use it to have fun 'saving the day'." He finished with a slightly mocking tone before turning back to his computer and attempting to focus on his work.

"Cam," he heard Shane's voice protest. "You're part of our team and—"

"And this is my role," he stated matter-of-factly without turning around.

"But how do you expect to make friends if you cut yourself off from others down here?" Tori's voice begged.

He again sighed, shaking his head. "Why do I need to have friends?"

"Everyone likes company," she suggested.

He rolled his eyes. "No, not everyone likes company. I happen to enjoy being alone."

"You can't like being alone," Shane argued. "Look, I tried to do the whole on-my-own thing too and you saw how that turned out. You need friends, even if you don't think you do. You can't—"

Cam spun around in his chair and stared at the red ranger.

"What do you know about me?" he snapped. "Not everyone's the same. Some people actually like having enough peace and quiet to actually hear themselves think. But I guess that isn't a problem for you." He closed his mouth, immediately regretting his last words. They had been aimed more at the absent yellow ranger anyway.

Damn Dustin for worming his way into his mind and latching a hold there.

He watched as the two exchanged looks, Shane shaking his head. "You think you're so much smarter than us."

The tech was silent for a moment because... what could he say? It was true.

"You do, don't you?" Tori realized, looking at the red ranger.

"I... I simply feel that other students might have been better suited for the job," the tech tried to explain.

"Like you?" Shane asked, anger forming in his eyes.

"I was never an option," he admitted, cringing at the resentment he heard in his own voice. "But, yes, I would have been a better choice, but Lothor left us with only you three."

"Only us three losers," the air ninja growled.

"Cam, you're not saying—" Tori began.

"No... No, today you three proved you could—" the tech tried to explain. He really had been impressed with them. Surprised, yes, but still impressed.

"We know how you _really_ feel," Shane interrupted. "You think we're just some ingrates who showed up late to class one day and Sensei had no choice but to make us Power Rangers."

Cam couldn't help but cringe as the air ninja seemed to be pulling thoughts straight out of the tech's head. He glanced at Tori, who opted to remain silent.

"You feel so superior, don't you?" the red ranger insisted. "And here we are messing up your perfect little world. Well, congratulations, because you won't have to worry about the three of us interrupting you again." He huffed in his anger, turning to his friend. "Let's go."

She looked at Cam, an almost... _sad_ expression in her eyes, before following him.

Suddenly Shane paused, spinning in his tracks.

"I don't know what Dustin sees in you." He shook his head. "He's the one who wanted to be your friend in the first place. He _likes_ you. It boggles my mind why, but he really cares about you." He looked down at the bag he had been holding when he first entered Ninja Ops. "And you don't care about anyone but yourself." He then tossed the bag Cam's direction.

The tech caught the bag, glancing down at it before raising his eyes to meet the red ranger's gaze.

"From Dustin," was all he said before the two were gone and Cam was once again alone.

In the silence that followed, Cam opened the bag and pulled out something fluffy.

It was a pillow, complete with a green pillow case.

He stared down at the gift and kept hearing Shane's words replaying in his head...

"_He cares about you, but you don't care about anyone but yourself."_

And, for some reason, those words hurt. Perhaps... because he knew they were true.

* * *

><p><em><strong>To be continued...<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Awww, poor Cam and Dustin! It looks like everything's out in the open now! What will happen next? Oh, and now we know why Cam was running the simulation off his laptop at the beginning of the episode. Also, in the episode, Dustin mentions that his Zord has a seat warmer, so I _had_ to reference that.


End file.
